Cerbaiona’s most experimental wine, Grammatica
For many collectors, Cerbaiona is synonymous with some of Montalcino’s most compelling and elegant expressions of Sangiovese. What is less widely known is that the estate’s most innovative wine is not its Brunello; it is the Grammatica.
The 2023 Cerbaiona “Grammatica” Rosso Toscana IGT occupies a unique place within the estate’s portfolio. Under the stewardship of Matthew Fioretti and his team, Grammatica has become the proving ground for new ideas, techniques, and approaches that may eventually influence the estate’s Brunello program. In many ways, it serves as Cerbaiona’s laboratory. This is the place where experimentation can happen without compromising the traditions that have made the Brunello estate legendary.
That spirit of exploration makes Grammatica the most dynamic and ever-evolving wine Cerbaiona produces. While the Brunello wines are built around consistency, site expression, and long-term vision, Grammatica is allowed to change and develop from vintage to vintage. Each release offers a fresh perspective on the estate’s terroir, winemaking philosophy, and pursuit of excellence.
Yet despite its experimental nature, Grammatica never loses sight of what makes Cerbaiona special. The polish, balance, and elegance that have defined the estate for decades remain firmly intact. The 2023 vintage is a perfect example.
Produced from primarily estate-grown fruit, complemented by a small portion of carefully selected Sangiovese from neighboring parcels, the wine underwent spontaneous fermentation with native yeasts in traditional concrete vats before being raised largely in neutral vessels. The goal is purity rather than winemaking influence, allowing the character of the fruit and vineyard to speak clearly.
In the glass, the 2023 Grammatica shines with a bright ruby hue and remarkable aromatic precision. Crunchy sour cherry, wild raspberry, dried rose petals, and crushed violets rise effortlessly from the glass, framed by subtle notes of stone dust and wild thyme. On the palate, it delivers the kind of refinement that has become a Cerbaiona hallmark: vibrant acidity, chalky fine-grained tannins, and a linear, energetic structure that carries the wine with remarkable focus and length.
With only 10,350 bottles produced, the 2023 Grammatica offers a rare opportunity to experience Cerbaiona from a different angle. It is both an introduction to the estate and a glimpse into its future—a wine where new ideas are explored, tested, and refined before finding their way into the broader vision of one of Montalcino’s most respected properties.
For those who appreciate the artistry of Sangiovese and the evolution of great estates, Grammatica may be the most fascinating bottle Cerbaiona makes.
91 Points, The Wine Advocate
The 2023 Grammatica is conceived as the estate’s foundational wine, much like grammar itself provides the structure for language, with most of the fruit sourced from Cerbaiona’s own vineyards and a small portion of purchased fruit. Aged in third- and fourth-use oak before resting in cement and glass ahead of release, the wine prioritizes clarity and balance. The 2023 vintage delivers appealing volume and texture that remain finely understated, supported by a quietly confident structure that makes the wine especially well suited to the table. - Monica Larner, robertparker.com.